U.S.A. –-(AmmoLand.com)-– On January 16, Monday, after coming back from the Industry Day at the Range, before the opening of the SHOT Show on Tuesday, this correspondent was outside in Las Vegas, on Tropicana Avenue, in front of Liquor World, taking a few pictures. The weather was cool, but not cold. It was overcast, without rain. A young black man drove up in a late model sporty car, parked, got out, and entered the store with an openly carried pistol stuck in his waistband.
As a writer for AmmoLand, this correspondent knew he had to take action. This correspondent formulated a hasty plan.
As the young black man exited the store, this correspondent approached him and said:
“I am a writer covering the SHOT Show. May I take a picture of your open carry pistol?”
The young man looked me up and down. Approaching a complete stranger in front of a liquor store is a mildly risky proposition. He answered:
“Who do you write for?”
“AmmoLand” was the reply.
I elaborated: I do not need to include your face or any identification. I simply want to document the open carry here in Las Vegas. He obviously had places to go and people to meet. After he agreed, I quickly took a couple of shots. We briefly chatted.
He stated he was glad they made open carry legal and wished they would do it everywhere. I told him I frequently open carry in Arizona. It was common there.
It was not the time or place to critique his holster or offer expert advice. A holster clipped to the inside of the waistband of sweatpants is not a practice I would normally recommend. Offering intimate advice about carrying weapons is not something I am willing to do with chance encounters in front of liquor stores.
The young man may have had good and sufficient reason to pop the holstered pistol inside the waistband of sweatpants, with only a small cord for a belt. The trip to the liquor store might have been to meet the urgent request of a wife or girlfriend or another reason which required quick action. This is of course my own speculation.
Factually, a young black man in a very nice car (late model Mustang) felt no inhibitions to openly carry what appears to be a Smith & Wesson SD series into a liquor store on Tropicana Avenue. No one complained or even seemed to notice, except for this correspondent.
My new friend in the world of gun culture turned onto Tropicana and expertly merged into the far left lane to turn north on Koval.
Opinion:
The normalization of armed Americans continues. Some might claim a young black man in a lovely, late-model car entering a liquor store with a pistol tucked into his waistband would be reason for alarm. It was not for this correspondent, nor did it appear to be for anyone in the vicinity. Criminals almost never openly carry arms for obvious reasons. They have a “mens rea,” to use the legal term, or “guilty mind.” The Bible has much sound advice.
From Proverbs: The wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.
About Dean Weingarten:
Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a military officer, was on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years, and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught the Arizona concealed carry course for fifteen years until the goal of Constitutional Carry was attained. He has degrees in meteorology and mining engineering, and retired from the Department of Defense after a 30 year career in Army Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation.
This should be normal, acceptable behavior coast to coast in a free country.
Let freedom ring for all lawbiding American citizens that chose to pack open carry or concealed. FJB and all gun grabbing tyrants .
Very sadly Florida is not going to join the open (Constitutional) carry states.
They just submitted legislation to make Florida a concealed constitutional carry state. That doesn’t mean that it won’t become an open constitutional carry state at some point… just not yet. Sometimes it’s best to do things one step at a time.
Sage advice. We’ve been pushed so far, it’s hard to remember sometimes that it takes one foot after another to get back on track.
Just remember to carry a fishing rod in your non dominant hand.
Hazcat, don’t be so sure, my friend. Without a doubt, I live in one of the top 3 insane liberal states. Truthfully only the 3 county area out of 39 counties, Pugetopolis as I call it, are genuinely insane the rest of us just live here peacefully and wish to be left alone. We are an open carry state. We have a population of just over 7 million, the problems lie within the Pugetopolis region with 4 million crazy people, however those crazies are leading the state with CCW applications/permits! Too many criminals have been released/not arrested by the Pugetopolis… Read more »
I penned a better reply to your statement, the moderator decided it needed to be examined. I think Florida has a better chance than you think. I hope they don’t hold my post too long.
I was stopped on open carry in to a liquor store. I did not rob the store. I bought some liquor. I talked with the man who objected. We made progress. We all learn as we go through life.
HLB
To me I consider open carry an educational display.
All this talk about casual open carry by us responsible gun owners might sound reassuring, but don’t get too optimistic. There’s still a phalanx of antis among the political class, who consider guns a disease and us as reprobates. With these types, you cannot even discuss the matter. Firearms is just one of the contentious issues which makes today’s America more divided, in my view, than it was since the Civil War.
i
In an ideal world…
There’s ALWAYS an “X-Spurt” on anything and everything firearms related, like the writer’s opinion of the method the individual was using to openly carry his handgun. Remember the saying: “Opinions are like …”.
In 1981, I was in Arizona attending the Gunsite basic pistol course. We were encouraged to wear our pistols off the facility, because Arizona was even then an open carry state. My friend and I came from a law enforcement background, and frankly felt very uncomfortable openly carrying out of uniform.
One day, we were sightseeing after class, and saw a motorcycle gang of 15 to 20 riders go past us, most open carrying. We went back to our car and put on our 1911s for the remainder of our visit.
If they were carrying, we were carrying.
I would be worried about weapon retention with that type of holster and attachment. An easy way to drop at some point.
I would have been interested in a interview with the liquor store owner/ cashier afterward, may have been a interesting take also ? Were they armed or concerned upon him entering the store ? Have they changed their situational awareness ? Were they ever robbed ? Do they worry about being robbed ? Do armed citizenry help with the fears of being robbed ? Or are they more concerned with possibly shooting someone by accident during a robbery ?
Maybe this man was a frequent customer and was known to the store employees. Visitors can jump to conclusions galore.
Awesome!